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Melbourne's homeless attacked by violent gangs

Aisha Dow

Former mechanic Ricky Miller has made a place to sleep under a bridge in Southbank. Photo: Pat Scala

Homeless people are being targeted by violent gangs of drunken men who throw their victims' belongings into the Yarra River, according to the free medical clinic that cares for Melbourne's rough sleepers.

Youth Projects' Melanie Raymond said staff at the centre regularly saw assault wounds on their clients. She said every day they helped a homeless person replace their stolen identity card.

''The mindless attacks on homeless people are more common than you would think by gangs of men from the suburbs that are far from homeless,'' she said.

''Every client would have an account of being bashed and robbed. They're an easy target. Having their belongings thrown in the Yarra is a common experience.''

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More than three-quarters of homeless people have experienced physical violence while homeless, according to a 2013 survey by Melbourne Street to Home.

These reports and Sunday's stabbing death of homeless man Wayne ''Mousey'' Perry have prompted calls for a new 24-hour drop-in service.

On Wednesday Mousey's friends voiced their support for a permanent ''safe space'' while recounting their own tales of violence and abuse.

Helba Kalek, 34, said she was often abused by passers-by when she was begging on the streets of Melbourne and sleeping at Flagstaff Gardens. ''When I got homeless I got spat at a few times. My blankets were stolen.

''I felt absolutely desperate, degraded and embarrassed.''

Former mechanic Ricky Miller, 31, has been sleeping in a shanty made of mattresses and sheets under a bridge in Southbank.

He said his iPhone, which he had recently paid off, was stolen on Tuesday night. He pointed to old scars on his face from when he was ''jumped'' while sleeping rough.

''I've learned tai chi and I used to do boxing. I'd defend myself if I had to but I hate violence,'' Mr Miller said. ''I reckon there should be more places that are open at night time … there is nowhere to go and relax.''

An all-hours homeless centre already has the in-principle support of Youth Projects and Melbourne City Council.

While there are a number of daytime and outreach homelessness services in Melbourne, there is no space open throughout the night.

The council's community safety and wellbeing manager, Dean Griggs, said the challenge was finding the funding and the right provider and location.

''I think as a local government we can bring people together to talk about how it might happen,'' he said.

RMIT senior research fellow Guy Johnson said it was more likely homeless people would be the victim of crime than commit the crime themselves. ''Many try to sleep with one eye open or with a weapon close at hand,'' he said.

Dr Johnson said as well as falling victim to opportunistic attacks while camped in public, those staying at boarding houses were vulnerable to attacks motivated by drugs and petty crime. He said it was important people had access to a ''safe place'', not simply physical shelter.